1. Field of the Invention
One possible embodiment of the present disclosure relates generally to the field of leak detection and water shutdown systems and, more specifically, to a self-contained compact fluid leak detection easily mounted kit that comprises an apparatus and/or method to reliably cut off the flow of water to fluid operated devices such as an appliance, toilet, and the like. Otherwise the compact, easily mounted kit allows normal operation of the toilet.
2. Background of the Invention
When left unattended, leaks in high rise condominium vacation homes and standalone vacation homes can cause damage throughout the building during the months that the vacation homes can be vacant. For that matter, if a homeowner is out for the day or week, a toilet leak can cause extensive damage. Unattended leaks in upper level condominiums can cause considerable damage throughout the building on all lower floors. High rise condominium owners living in another city can receive calls from the homeowner association about insurance against legal liabilities for the many lower condominiums that are extensively damaged.
Accordingly, home owners generally and home owner associations in high rise condominiums have long sought simple inexpensive easily mounted kits that greatly reduce likelihood of threats of legal liabilities and/or prevent extensive damage.
Moreover slow leaks in appliances such as toilets can also lead to costly water bills. Severe leaks can lead to devastating damage to homes and possibly even surrounding homes.
Prior art devices either do not provide simple to install kits that a homeowner or contractor can install with basic hand tools. As best as can be determined, the only existing prior art kit for the toilet does not protect against many types disastrous toilet leaks.
Leak detection apparatuses and systems are well known in the art but for many reasons are not suitable and/or able to prevent damage and do not provide an easily mounted kit. The following patents discuss different background art related to the subject matter discussed above:
United States Patent Application No. 2013/0092242, published Apr. 18, 2013 to Guy, discloses an apparatus and method for fluid leak detection and shut down for a fluid distribution system having a total system flow rate. The apparatus includes a solenoid shutoff valve having a normally open state and an activated closed state with a flow capacity matched to the total fluid distribution system flow rate. The apparatus also has a primary fluid flow line and a smaller capacity secondary fluid flow line. The apparatus includes a flow sensor in fluid communication with the secondary fluid flow line, wherein the flow sensor has a perceptible output and a flow rate capacity less than the solenoid shutoff flow capacity. Operationally, the flow sensor receives a portion of the solenoid shutoff valve flow capacity in priority over the primary fluid flow line, allowing the flow sensor to detect minimal flow rates and using the perceptible output to activate the solenoid shutoff valve into the closed state. However, the device is complicated and monitors the entire water supply for an edifice rather than provide a convenient, easily mounted compact kit.
United States Patent Application No. 2012/0211094, published Aug. 23, 2012 to Quintana, discloses a device to shut-off a water supply to a toilet diverts water from a toilet fill valve to a shut-off valve that has a housing that includes a valve mechanism, a trip mechanism, and a trip circuit. The trip mechanism includes a rotational spring that urges closing of the valve mechanism. A trip latch is adapted to prevent closing of the valve mechanism except when withdrawn from the valve mechanism by a solenoid that is electrically connected to the trip circuit. The trip circuit includes at least one trip sensor input and a power source, such that when the trip circuit detects a fault condition on any of the trip sensors, the trip circuit connects power to the solenoid to withdraw the solenoid to close the valve mechanism. A rest knob may then be rotated to reset the valve mechanism into a valve-open position.
United States Patent Application No. 2010/0212748, published Aug. 26, 2010 to Davidoff, discloses systems and methods for detecting and preventing fluid leaks. A rate of flow of a portion of fluid flowing through a fluid distribution network over a period of time is monitored. A determination is made whether the rate of flow of the fluid over the period of time is greater than zero but so low that it indicates a leak in the water pipe. If the rate of flow over the period of time indicates a leak, then the flow of the liquid through the system is stopped and an indication is provided that a leak has been detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,826, issued Jan. 13, 2004 to Newman et al., discloses a flood prevention system including a double-latching solenoid valve that shuts off a water supply line in response to a moisture sensor detecting a leak in a plumbing system. The double-latching feature provides the solenoid's plunger with two positions of equilibrium. This minimizes electrical power consumption so that the flood prevention system can be battery operated. To minimize a buildup of hard water deposits, the valve includes a flexible diaphragm and is cycled periodically regardless of whether flooding occurs. The sensor includes multiple methods of mounting to a floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,323, issued Sep. 2, 2003 to Horne, presents a safety valve provided for an appliance having an electrically operated water inlet valve for receiving water used during operation of the appliance. A valve body is connected to the water supply upstream of the inlet valve, the valve body having a flow path for allowing water to flow through the valve body to the inlet valve. An electrically operated solenoid is connected to a valve gate, the valve gate being movably carried within the valve body and movable between a closed position and an open position that allows water to flow through the flow path. A portion of an electrical current from an appliance control system to the inlet valve for opening the inlet valve is conducted to the solenoid for moving the gate to the open position. The gate is spring biased to the closed position for returning the gate to the closed position when the current ceases to flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,852, issued May 21, 2002 to Montgomery, discloses a water supply safety valve kit for an appliance in which the kit includes an individual solenoid actuated normally closed valve unit for each water supply line to the appliance and a control unit that plugs into a conventional electrical female household outlet. The control unit has a first outlet at the household line voltage and into which the power cord of the appliance plugs and a second lower voltage outlet responsive to current flow to the first outlet. A count down timer circuit and a low voltage output are activated by the current flow to the first outlet and lines connect that low voltage output to the solenoid valve unit to open the same. The countdown timer terminates the low voltage output after a preselected time period.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,096, issued Apr. 9, 2002 to Quintana, discloses a microprocessor-operated flow control device for a toilet to prevent flooding upon obstructing of a waste outlet of a toilet bowl also includes a leak detector for measuring water leakage from a toilet tank. The device includes a water level sensor assembly mounted on a clip held over a rim of the toilet bowl so as to hold the water level sensor assembly in a predetermined position within the toilet bowl, and a leak detecting element held in the interior of the toilet tank. If water bridges contacts on the water level sensor assembly, an electrical circuit or an RF connection is completed to the microprocessor in a housing, and an electric motor is actuated to drive a gear train to close a normally opened valve and shut off water to the water tank of the toilet. If a water leak is detected, an electrical or an RF signal is sent to the microprocessor to shut off water flow to the water tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,825, issued Oct. 29, 1996 to Faulk, discloses a system for detecting leakage and unwanted flow in a fluid supply within a building capable of detecting small leaks and shutting off flow when such occur. The system may be operated in a continuous mode or on a timed mode, and the system allows flow for a preset small time period before the shut-off is initiated. The system includes an inflow sensor, a discharge sensor and valve means to seal the supply conduit in the event of unwanted fluid flow or backflow in the discharge conduit. The system is extremely sensitive due to the provision of a by-pass conduit around a check-valve in the supply conduit, where the flow sensor is positioned in the by-pass conduit, such that small volume water flow must pass through the flow sensor.
The above art does not show a compact, easily mounted kit that can be easily installed by a homeowner to shut off all water going to a toilet before it enters the toilet. For the most part, The above prior art requires multiple sensors, inconvenient power requirements, in most cases very complex costly systems and in some cases may not reliably detect disastrous types of water leaks in the toilet or appliance. Only U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,096 provides a kit but this patent operates on fluid level changes in the tank that may not change for numerous types of disastrous leaks from the toilet, e.g. a leak prior to entering the toilet. An urgent need exists for an improved leak detection and shutdown apparatus that requires less power to operate and has a less complicated configuration. Those of skill in the art will appreciate the present system which addresses the above and other problems.